Exercise Interventions of the AnkleNoah Sherr (Undergraduate) Importance: Ankle injuries are one of the most common injuries in athletics. Athletic trainers can use a combination of concentric and eccentric exercises to target ankle stability as an area of prevention. Objective: The main objective is to see which exercise intervention promotes the most stability in the ankle. Design: The design of this study is a randomized controlled trial. Setting: The Athletic Training Facility at Cedarville University. Participants: A total of 7 individuals volunteered for this study. The participants were randomly assigned to an eccentric group (n = 2), a concentric and eccentric group (n = 2), and a control group (n = 3). All participants were over 18 years of age. Interventions: The participants performed 5 ankle exercises 3 days a week over 4 weeks. Ankle stability was measured with the Biodex Balance Error System. Baseline, midline, and final stability measurements were taken for each participant. Results: In concentric/eccentric and eccentric exercise groups, stability increased more than in the control group. There was little to no difference between the exercise groups. Conclusions: Regardless of the intervention, ankle stability measurements either remained the same or improved. However, due to the small sample size, statistical significance could not be determined. |
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The Relationship Between Chronic Stress and Injury Among Collegiate Student AthletesKatherine Hall (Undergraduate) Context: Student-athletes are in the unique position of having to balance both stress from the demands of their schooling and stress from the demands of their sport. Chronic stress has been associated with adverse effects on physical health. Objective: To determine if there is a correlation between stress and injury in collegiate student-athletes. Design: Anonymous online survey. Setting: An anonymous online survey was designed to assess number of reported injuries compared to reported stress levels in collegiate student-athletes. Participants: Participants were recruited from a small, rural NCAA Division-2 university in southwest Ohio. Main Outcome Measures: Dependent variables were stress scores recorded through the use of a DASS-21 questionnaire and the patient-reported number of injuries within a one-month period. Data was analyzed using a Pearson’s correlation coefficient and a Spearman’s rank-order correlation coefficient test. Results: The survey was completed by 37 participants (response rate = < 2%). Participants were recruited from varsity (n = 10), junior varsity (n = 1), and intramural (n = 26) teams from a small local Division-2 college. Participants reported an average score of 15.2 on the DASS-21 with an isolated stress score of 2.1, and an average of 1.1 illnesses and 2.1 injuries per person within the past month. Statistical analysis found a strong positive correlation (r = 0.764) between reported stress levels and number of reported injuries (p-value < 0.001). Conclusions: This study found a direct positive correlation between stress and injury. Future research should seek to determine the causative order between stress and injury. |
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The Immediate Effects of Dynamic and Static Cupping on Trunk MobilityDennis Kistulinec (Undergraduate) Importance: Cupping Therapy has become increasingly popular in athletes; however, there is minimal research on the effects of dynamic cupping. This study sought to identify differences between static and dynamic cupping on trunk mobility. Objective: Compare the immediate effects of dynamic and static cupping on trunk mobility using the sit-and-reach box. Design: Equivalent time-samples design Setting: MAT laboratory at Cedarville University Participants: 12 intramural athletes were recruited for this study (11 male and 1 female). Intramural athletes were invited to participate in the study through an email invitation. Interventions: Dynamic and static cupping was administered for 8 minutes to all individuals. Individuals who received dynamic cupping performed 3 mobility exercises while cups were in place. Results: From pre-treatment to post-treatment for dynamic cupping, the mean number of change for sit-and-reach scores were M=1.41 inches. From pre-treatment to post-treatment for static cupping, the mean number of change for sit-and-reach scores were M= 0.75 inches. A t-test was used to analyze the data and revealed that the change from pre-treatment to post-treatment scores for dynamic cupping were statistically significant. Conclusion: Dynamic cupping has more of an immediate effect for increasing trunk mobility when compared to static cupping. |
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The Effects of Kinesio Tape on Shuttle Run TimeMason Cooksey (Undergraduate) For several years, using Kinesio Tape to enhance performance has been a controversial topic in the world of athletic training. Several research studies have been done in attempts to either prove or disprove its effectiveness, but the results are often contradictory. While athletes continue to use it, conclusive evidence in support of the tape has yet to be established. Objectives: This research study attempted to evaluate the use of KT on collegiate athletes during a shuttle run. The goal was to detect any significant differences between the application of KT and improved shuttle run speed. Methodology: This cross-sectional study consisted of 7 collegiate athletes and utilized each participant as a control group for themselves. Participants were obtained through a voluntary email solicitation sent to all Cedarville University varsity teams. A SEMO agility test was used to measure participant’s speed with and without KT applied bilaterally to the gastrocnemius muscles. Results: The mean trial time for no KT was 10.54 seconds and the mean trial time for KT was 10.57 seconds. A T-test indicated no statistically significant difference (p = 0.46). Conclusion: No significant difference in shuttle run time was found between the application of KT and no KT. Therefore, this study cannot support its effectiveness. |
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